Two Killed, Indian Crew Safe as Grain Ship Sinks After Suspected Drone Strike in Black Sea

Two foreign crew members were killed and several others injured after a commercial grain vessel came under a suspected drone attack in the Black Sea on Monday, Romanian authorities said. Three Indian nationals were among the crew, the Embassy of India in Romania confirmed.

The Turkish-owned MV Royad Mammadov, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was carrying corn from Ukraine’s Izmail port to Ravenna, Italy, when a fire broke out aboard the vessel. The incident occurred within Romania’s exclusive economic zone, about 30 nautical miles south of Sfantu Gheorghe and near the Pescăruș offshore oil platform.

Romanian authorities said the vessel later sank. Eleven crew members were rescued, with several suffering injuries and receiving medical treatment in Romania. Two bodies were also recovered.

The exact cause of the fire has not been formally established. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the vessel was struck by two Russian drones while sailing in neutral waters.

“Two Russian drones struck a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Türkiye,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post, adding that Azerbaijani and Indian nationals were among those on board. He also said the ship’s captain was among those killed.

The Embassy of India in Romania said it had received preliminary information that two foreign nationals had died and several crew members had been injured. It confirmed that three Indian nationals were among the crew and said the mission was in close contact with Romanian authorities to establish their safety and welfare.

No Indian casualties have been reported so far. The Indian mission is coordinating with local authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian crew members.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks and security incidents involving commercial shipping in the Black Sea amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, raising renewed concerns over the safety of civilian vessels and the movement of vital grain exports from the region.